But can the freshman linebacker, who saw his first extended playing time last week after playing mostly on special teams, become a consistent force for a defense in need of a rebound on Saturday against Penn State?

With senior Andrew Sweat out because of a concussion suffered last week at Purdue, Shazier is expected to make his first start in the final home game of the season.

There might be a price to pay, considering he is a freshman, but Haynes said the expectations won’t be compromised.

“We’re expecting him to go out there, know what he’s doing and be productive,” he said. “You know also, he’s a confident kid. Some guys get out there and get rattled, and that’s not Ryan.”

In other words, Shazier has the proper mentality, something he testified to on Saturday after being asked what he thought of a roughing-the-passer penalty called on him.

“I feel it wasn’t a roughing-the-passer call, but that’s what every defensive player is going to think when they hit the quarterback,” Shazier said.

When asked whether he was ready for the responsibility of being a starter, he replied succinctly.

“Yes, sir.”

Not only does Haynes believe him, so do his teammates.

“I think he is ready,” defensive end Solomon Thomas said. “Ryan, man, he’s almost a freak of nature. He reminds me of (2010 captain and linebacker Brian) Rolle. He’s quick. He’s fast. He’s got a knack for the football. He’s a little taller, a little lighter.

“But I think the coaching staff … will have him ready. I think toward the end of the season he understands what it takes to be a backup and play, to contribute. You don’t even look at him as a backup. You look at him as a (starter), even when Sweat’s playing.

“So I think he’ll be ready.”

That was Shazier’s plan from the beginning. From Plantation, Fla., he decommitted from Florida after coach Urban Meyer resigned late last year, committed to Ohio State, then enrolled in January. The head start was blunted when he was banged up in the spring, but from preseason camp on, the flash has been there.

“The big thing is just his playmaking,” Haynes said. “You get some guys who just have playmaking ability, and when he’s out there he flashes.

“He’s a fast kid. He’s not a big kid — you’d like him to be bigger at that linebacker spot. But he plays the game fast, plays the game the right way, and any time he’s in there he’s got a chance to make a play.”

His baptism in major college football came when playing more than three quarters last week.

“I learned that it’s real physical, and I learned that sometimes you never know when you’re going to get in, you just have to take advantage of your opportunities,” Shazier said.

Whether he plugged the right gap or the wrong one, Shazier did not appear to be out of his element, running as always as if he’s just downed two doses of an energy drink.